Abstract This study takes an unusual, exploratory approach to studying issues of identity in the Japanese community in Canada. It looks at two types of modern day Japanese in Canada. First, a young student studying at MIT is used as a real life case study. Second, various fictional depictions of Japanese-Canadians are used to delve deeper into issues of Japanese identity.
From the Paper "Thus, using Bourdieu's analysis, it is theoretically possible to apply it to the situation of Japanese-Canadians to try to delve deeper into their ethnic self-identity and individual make-up. However, there are various flaws when trying to apply Bourdieu's work. First, Bourdieu interviewed his participants in some depth for his study in order to get a detailed profile of each. This variety of data about Japanese-Canadians is not currently available for this study and would need to be obtained first-hand. Second, and more importantly, it is not possible to apply the same analysis intended for a Western, European nation such as France to a complex, Oriental nation such as Japan that prides itself on its "unique" ethnic identity and 90% middle-class (which, if true, renders analysis using economic capital as a variable useless anyhow)."
